Ammunition charger



July 25, 1944. CALHOUN 2,354,499

AMMUNITION CHARGER Filed July 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR John J Gal/2011i? A TTORNEY y 1944- I J. J. CALHOUN 4 $354,499

AMMUNITION CHARGER 'Filed Jul 5 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 4 'IIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM INVENTOR J aihoan/ A TTORNE Y Patented July 25, 1944 AMMUNITION CHARGER- John J. Calhoun, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 5, 1941, Serial No. 401,189

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an ammunition charger such as is used for holding and aligning a plurality of separate charges of fixed ammunition which includes a projectile and its encased propelling charge, the ammunition to be fed toward and inserted into a gun. An object of the invention is to prolong the life of such ammunition chargers and reduce the likelihood of their being damaged when dropped on the ground or roughly handled when empty. Another object is to adapt such devices to their being quickly produced in quantity easily and cheaply. More especially this invention relates to improvements in the ammunition chargers which are adapted for use with 40 mm. fixed ammunition whereby the ammunition is adapted to be fed to what is sometimes called a Bofors type anti-aircraft gun capable of firing 120 shots a minute, this gun having been developed in Sweden. Such a charger is adapted to be disposed somewhat vertically over the gun whereby the ammunition may be fed downward to a position where it is adapted to be pushed forward into the breech.

After use, such chargers or holders for ammunition fall to the ground or into some receptacle where they may be collected, refilled and used again. Heretofore such chargers have been formed of an aluminum die casting which is in danger of being broken especially as the charger may be roughly handled when empty.

According to the present invention, such chargers have been made rugged, better adapted to withstand jars and falls to which they are in cident when they are empty, yet they are skeletonized and relatively light in weight made of heavier weight material.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an ammunition charger employing this invention with ammunition being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a right side View of the device Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 but showing the embodimentof Figure 6.

although Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 99 of Figure 6-.

The preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, and comprises spaced walls I0 and II of sheet steel or other appropriate ferrous alloy. The wall In is shown as being thicker than the wall I I due to the fact that the wall I0 is adapted for reception within the usual groove 28 in the base of the ammunition and also because the wall III functions somewhat as a backbone to reinforce the thinner wall I I and enable the Wall II to be made lighter in weight. One longitudinal edge portion of each of the walls i0 and II is provided with a number of arcuate recesses I3 in which the ammunition I2 may be received and held by means of a hook I4 for each base portion of each piece of ammunition. Secured to the hook I4 is a projection or stem I5 which bears in or is guided by part of the walls It! and II. A helical spring I6 is wound around each projection I5 between the walls III and II so that the spring I6 cooperates with the wall It! and with a shoulder on the projection I5. In this way each spring IE biases each projection I5 to its normal position with the base of the hook portion I4 contiguous the wall Hi. When a charger is placed in a somewhat vertical position over the gun as shown in Figure 3 a cam (not shown) is adapted to engage the end portion of the projection I5 for'compressing'the spring and releasing the ammunition from its grip where clamped between the hook I4 and the wall In.

The wall II] has a bent flange I! which is adapted to lie contiguous a bent flange I8 on the wall II. In each embodiment of this invention the flanges I1 and I8 are shown extending laterally beyond the depth of the hook portions I4 and far enough so that these flanges may be conveniently spot welded or otherwise secured together, the spot welds being indicated at I9. The preferred embodiment of this invention includes some appropriate spacing means for the portions of the walls Illand II which are remote from their secured base flanges. Such a spacer includes a channel member 20 having a bottom portion 2! and sides 22, each of these sides 22 being secured to one of the upstanding walls such as by spot welding 23 and 24 or in some other convenient manner. The bottom 2| of this channel is shown as being wavy or serrated in form to conform to the general contour of the arcuate recesses I3 and the crest 25 in the walls and bottom between such recesses. As shown in Figure 4 the sides 22 of the channel 20 are split and cut away at 26 so that when the bottom 2| is given its desired form, the split sides of the channel are adjacent one another. This saves the necessity of either overlapping the excess material which would otherwise be present in the sides 22 or saves the necessity of considerable work upon the sides to cause the excess material to be distributed away from the places where it would otherwise be congested. The base flange I8 is provided with perforations 21 so that a welding electrode may be inserted between the walls for welding the sides of the channel 20 to the walls in and II. The walls Ill and Il may be formed of substantially straight portions which are slightly bent one with respect to the other, as is shown in Figure l of the drawing, or these walls may be gradually curved about a radius of sufilcient length so that the various pieces of ammunition are annularly disposed as desired. The thicker wall It] is shown as being slightly higher throughout the arcuate recesses I3 and the crest 25 in order that this wall Ill may be received in the usual groove at the base of the ammunition. Each base of the ammunition is gripped by one of the hooks l4 and preferably clamped or pressed against the wall II) by the action of spring I6. The wall ll supports the ammunition at a slight distance from its base. The spacing channel 20 is shown as substantially following the contour of the upper edge of each wall so that all portions of the upper edges of these walls I!) and II are reinforced and prevented from being bent by the spacing connection with the other wall. In this way, each of the walls In and II mutually reinforces and stiffens the other one.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 to 8, inclusive, comprises walls 30 and 3| which correspond respectively to the walls In and H in the previous embodiment. These walls are provided with the same arcuate recesses 33, generally the same hook portions 34, which are arranged in the same manner, namely, with a projection 35 pressed by a spring 36 to a position with the hook adjacent the wall 30. The lower flange 31 on the wall 30 and the lower flange 38' on the wall 3| are welded or otherwise secured together at 39.

Unlike the previous embodiment, that shown in Figures 6 to 8 has a means for spacing the walls 30 and 3| which includes a number of shouldered rivets 40 which are generally rectangular in section so as to take up little width between the arcuate recesses. Each of these spacing members has a head 4| which extends through each one of the walls and is upset to retain the wall, against a shoulder formed between the head part and the main body part. Instead of the rivet-like spacing members being of rectangular cross-section as illustrated they may be round or of any other desired crosssection but should have the shoulder portions desired to abut and space the walls.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the greater ruggedness of the ammunition charger. While being skeletonized, th walls are held in spaced relation in a manner to minimize the likelihood of one portion of a wall, or especially an edge portion, being bent out of shape in falling. Each of the walls is stiffened and reinforced by the other and by reason of this fact one wall may be made much thinner than the other. The bottom flange on the wall l prevents rotation of the hook member so that no spline or other type of expensive construction is necessary in order to keep the hook always in position for engaging with the base of ammunition. The embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 is preferred only because the bottom of the spacing channel may be made flush with the top of the wall ll so as to serve as an additional or wider support for the ammunition. Ordinarily, this may not be necessary and in such case the second embodiment illustrated may be the form desired since this second construction, illustrated in Figures 6 to 8, is cheaper to manufacture than the first form. The edge of the base flange is preferably curved about the same center that the walls are longitudinally bent so that this flange may be able to function as a guide for the charger in positioning it over the gun.

While certain specific embodiments have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such illustrated or described embodiments but contemplates all such modifications and variations thereof as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Inasmuch as the base of the ammunition is flat, it is much preferred to have each face of each wall formed of a number of flat portions arranged at an angle to one another as shown in the drawing rather than have the walls curved. Unless the portion of each wall containing the arcuate recesses is a truly fiat surface, the ammunition will not fit as satisfactorily as is desired.

What I claim is:

1. An ammunition charger including spaced wall slightly bent longitudinally and having a lower flange on each wall, the edge of each wall remote from its flange being arcuately recessed for reception of fixed ammunition seated therein, one wall being higher than the other for reception in a base recess in the ammunition, a hook adjacent the center of each recess in the higher wall, a projection from each hook passing through each wall, a spring around each projection for cooperation with one of the walls and with said projection for urging the hook toward the higher wall, the base flange on the other wall extending across th base flange on the higher wall and being secured thereto, at least one of said flanges extending laterally beyond the hooks, and spacer means secured to each wall adjacent the edge portion remote from its flange and intermediate a pair of arcuate recesses.

2. An ammunition charger according to claim 1 in which said spacer means include ,headed securing means and having a shoulder contiguous each Wall, said spacer being elongated substantially normally to the base.

3. An ammunition charger according to claim 1 in which said spacer means comprise a channelshaped strip having its sides lying contiguous and between said spaced walls, the body of said channel closing the space between said walls and following the general contour of the edge of said walls which is remote from the wall flanges.

4. An ammunition charger according to claim 1 in which said spacer means comprise a channelshaped strip having its sides lying contiguous and between said spaced walls, the body of said channel closing the space between said walls and following the general contour of the edge of said walls which is remote from the wall flangesjthe side Walls of said channel being split adjacent the crest of the base portion of said channel-shaped strip and welded to said side walls, the base flange of the less high wall being perforated beneath each such crest portion in the side walls to enable the welding tool to be inserted between said walls for welding the sides of said channel to the walls, said base flanges being also welded together.

5. An ammunition charger having spaced walls of bendable sheet metal plates each provided with a series of arcuate recesses for Supporting fixed ammunition with the aid of the other wall, the recesses in one wall being of less radius than those in the other wall, a flange on each wall, said flanges each extending in the same direction as the other and secured together, a spring pressed hook for holding the ammunition in each pair of recesses, each hook being adjacent a recess of less radius than that in the opposite wall, and the edge of such less radius recess being further from the bottommost flange than is the edge of the recess in the opposite wall and being adapted for reception in a groove adjacent the base of the ammunition, and means for spacing the plates in addition to and spaced from said flanges.

6. An ammunition charger having spaced walls of bendable sheet metal plates each provided with a series of arcuate recesses for supporting fixed ammunition with the aid of the other wall, the recesses in one wall being of less radius than those in the other Wall, a flange on each wall, said flanges each extending in the same direction as the other and secured together, a spring pressed hook for holding the ammunition in each pair of recesses, each hook being adjacent a recess of less radius than that in the opposite wall, and the edge of such less radius recess being further from the bottommost flange than is the edge of the recess in the opposite wall and being adapted for reception in a groove adjacent the base of the ammunition, and means for spacing the plates in addition to and spaced from said flanges, said spacing means including plates normally disposed to said Walls, each located between each pair of recesses, extending to and adjacent the outer edge of said walls, and extending through each wall adjacent the inner portion of said spacing plate, the portion of the spacing plate which extends through said walls being upset to retain the walls in their spaced relation.

7. An ammunition charger for holding cartridges and the like, each of which is provided with an annular groove in the base end thereof and a circumferential groove in the circumferential wall thereof immediately adjacent the base end, comprising a pair of substantially parallel spaced walls each having a plurality of arcuate recesses along one longitudinal edge thereof, each recess of one wall being aligned with a recess of the other wall for circumferentially engaging the cartridges adjacent the base ends thereof, said walls being rigidly interconnected at the longitudinal edges opposite said first mentioned longitudinal edges, means extending between and secured to said Walls at least between the pairs of the aligned recesses thereof for rigidly holding said walls in spaced apart relation, the recessed edges of one of said walls being arranged to extend into the circumferential recesses of the cartridges carried by said charger, a plurality of cartridge engaging elements movably supported by said charger for movement axially of said recesses, each of said elements having a portion extending adjacent said last mentioned one wall and beyond a recessed edge thereof and having a projection arranged to extend into the annular groove of a cartridge, and resilient means for urging said elements toward said last mentioned one Wall to resiliently maintain said projections in the annular grooves of the cartridges carried by said charger, the recessed edges of said last mentioned one wall and the projections of said elements constituting the sole. means for holding the cartridges in said charger.

8. An ammunition charger comprising spaced metal parts each having a longitudinal edge se cured together in spaced apart relation and each having in an opposite longitudinal edge an arouate recess, the recess of one plate being aligned with the recess of the other plate to receive and support the ammunition to be carried, spacing means extending between said plates adjacent the recessed longitudinal edges and secured to said plates for preventing movement of said recessed edges away from and toward each other, and means adjacent the recess of one of said plates for retaining the ammunition to be carried thereby by engagement with the base end portion of the ammunition, comprising a spring-pressed plunger extending through said one plate and having an ammunition engaging head at the outer side of said one plate, and a guiding head reciprocably mounted in the other said plate, together with a compression spring surrounding said plunger engaged at one end with said guiding head and at its other end with the inner side of said one plate,

JOHN J. CALHOUN. 

